In May 2025, I ran the Edinburgh Marathon. It hailed, there were gale-force winds and torrential rain. By the time I crossed the finish line, I was pretty adamant I’d never run another marathon again.

Six weeks later, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Last year was a pretty difficult one for my family, as both my brother and I were diagnosed with cancer. This meant that we spent rather more time at Guy’s Cancer Centre than any of us would have liked, with both of us being treated there. Thankfully, we’re both doing really well now.

Guy’s is one of the UK’s leading cancer centres, combining specialist treatment with a huge amount of research into better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. There’s a dedicated research facility there and a large number of clinical trials, helping turn new ideas into treatments that can hopefully make a difference to patients in the future.

A few months ago, my dad asked if I’d consider running the 2027 London Marathon with him, with the aim of raising money for Guy’s Cancer Charity.

Unfortunately for me and especially after the year we’d had, it’s quite hard to say no to your dad! Although, it didn't take too much convincing

There’s also something quite nice about coming full circle. I started the Edinburgh Marathon in 2025 feeling completely healthy, with no idea that six weeks later my life would look very different. Fortunately, and many thanks to Guys, it was less than five months after my diagnosis that I was told I was in remission and life now is back to normal.

Running the marathon with Dad for the hospital that treated my brother, me and countless others, feels like a pretty good way to properly close that chapter. Here’s hoping for slightly less hail this time!

If you’re able to donate, I’d really appreciate it. Every donation will help support the work of Guy’s Cancer Charity and the treatment, research and fantastic care that they provide.

Thank you!